


Embrace

by solarpillar (solarwind)



Category: Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-31
Updated: 2016-11-21
Packaged: 2017-12-21 23:15:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/906100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarwind/pseuds/solarpillar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Without Lord's light, the darkness begins to surface. Doppelgangers of people begin to appear and haunt their original with intent to kill.</p><p>Set after Yuzu's Path. </p><p>Fusion with Persona series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LittleLinor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleLinor/gifts).



 

The terrorist activities have not stopped. Smashed cars and broken roads, raided shops and dead people drained of blood. A mysterious cult, the media reported, speaks of killing god and children of god alike.

_God will die for his sins._

Words as such are painted on walls and windows. Crudely.

_His children of sin will be cut into sinews and roasted over the fire of hell._

_God lies._

_You are not safe._

Naoya doesn't mind them. In the loneliness of his prison cell, he paints flowers. Iris. Geranium. Spider lily and chrysanthemum. Orchid. There isn't any reason for his activity, beside a new hobby to pass time. God has forsaken this world. He smiles at the thought. No more torment from god. That is enough for him.

Not enough for the government, apparently.

“Mr. Minegishi?”

A government's lapdog. Naoya complies only to avoid troubles. A visitor.

The Shomonkai maiden. She's in no better position than him, clad in female prisoner's garb. Izuna and Fushimi are with her.

“Maiden. Is that a new job for me? Or accusation?”

The maiden's gaze is deadly. “Accusation, Cain.” She searches him with her eyes. “A group of terrorists are causing chaos outside.”

“Oh?” Naoya nods, faking amusement.

“They say it's lead by you, and your cousin.” Izuna adds.

“Funny,” Naoya says, “I've not stepped out this room even once since I've been put here, and I have no computers, phones or other long-distance means of communication.” He looks outside, and back at his accuser. “Method aside, what would be my motive? I have what I wanted.”

“Method: Phantasma and Illusion. Motive: your grudge against god.” Fushimi declares.

“Oh? Got any proof?” Naoya grins.

Before any of them opens their mouth, Naoya continues. “It doesn't matter. You can accuse me of whatever you want. I am at your mercy, yours and your government’s. Now, tell me, what service may you want I, the first sinner, provide for you?”

“Give order and stop your group's doings!” Amane screams.

Naoya snorts. “As if it really is my group. Sure, it can be seen that way. I will stop them.”

Izuna breathes in relief. “Thank you, Naoya, you are doing the right thing...”

Naoya shoves a hand before her face. “Not so fast, Captain.”

The three accusers grind their teeth. Of course, the conditions.

“Speak.” Fushimi nods.

Naoya grins wider, fox-like. “I want full pardon for my crimes, of course, without addition of new crimes, assassinations, or worse. In other words, I want a normal life, the way it was before my involvements with the Shomonkai...”

Fushimi and Izuna frowns. They saw that coming. Now Naoya will walk, as if nothing happened-

“And I want the same pardon to apply for Amane Kuzukyu. She, too, will return to a normal life. Agree, and I will help you.”

The three gasp in disbelief. Did he just try to help Amane?

“Wh-why, Cain?” Amane asks in amazement.

“I just tried to give you a big gift, why don't you just take it? Now get me out of here, I thought I was going to grow mushrooms in this damned damp place.”

 

* * *

  
Atsuro has seen the news. He isn't a terrorist. Yet the news accuse him as such. He's glad that his parents aren't here to be troubled with him, but he wants to get back to school before he misses too many classes.

He really wants to talk to Naoya. Yuzu and Kazuya too, but that can wait. It's too conspicuous in group. Right now, he needs answers. Naoya is sure to have them.

Like why is there a doppelganger of himself trying to kill him.

Quickly, he types an email to Kazuya in his COMP, telling him his current location and where might be the best place to flee to and reunite. The Electronic Museum would do. Yuzu should be with him, and they'll meet, all three, at the fateful place where their normal life was first robbed from them. And they'll survive together, again. Starting by breaking Naoya out, probably. He just had to get arrested for the demon mess. It feels unfair, in Atsuro's opinion. Sure, Naoya is the one who created the mess. But without him, the mess would not be solved either. And the whole angels thing. A lifetime is just too much, when the man did his best to clean up his own mess and liberated humanity in the process. He deserved serving time, probably, but why jail? How a time-out would help the situation? If anything, Naoya should be sentenced to community service where he uses his skills to improve the society's situation, not locked up and ignored. Like that movie where a fraud got hired into anti-fraud business. That kind of thing.

But the government isn't Atsuro. They do not trust Naoya. Not that Atsuro is sure if he still trusts him... he wants to. He wants to trust Naoya with his entire being.

Trust or not, his biggest chance at understanding the situation, right now, according to what he knows, is Naoya. He knows where Naoya is locked. He will find him, and break him out. What to do after knowing the answers, he doesn't know. Put him back, take him away, let him die.

Put him back seems right.

Take him away seems good, the two of them in Silicon Valley, mentor and pupil, living as family.

Let him die, never.

There is a doppelganger of Naoya too. Atsuro had seen him, the day of Naoya's trial. If all doppelgangers kill their original, then this would do the same. Naoya is strong, but not invincible.

Atsuro wants to save Naoya.

There's a hand on his shoulder. Atsuro turns.

"You love and admire Naoya, but does he even care? You are a mere pawn to him, not a person he loves."

His own face, on another, speaking these words. His own voice, coming from the other's mouth.

“H-how do you know what I was thinking?” Atsuro screams, pushing his double away.

His fingers are on the quick dial. Kazuya's number. The double knocks it away with an Elec Dance.

“Nice thinking of you, keeping your COMP on.” His double spins, sparks of electricity between fingertips and in the footsteps. “Kazuya, huh. Kazuya doesn't care about you. Don't you see? He's all about Naoya and Yuzu. You are just his loyal lapdog."

Atsuro flinches.

“Ready to die?” His double smiles, stronger electricity crackling in his fingers. His smile is dissonant, like Atsuro's best smiles worn to not make Yuzu worry.

Atsuro did not have the time to scream before an arm catches him right in the middle before lifting him up and away, rising until they are on the nearest rooftop. Doesn't stop there. Next rooftop. Then, in a flash, teleported away.

The arm is skeletal yet strong.

The place where his double stood was stricken by what looked like a gigantesque fireball. It exploded like a lotus flower.

 

* * *

  
Yuzu isn't with Kazuya, contrary to Atsuro's estimation. Kazuya, being such a hero, let her run to fend off both their doppelgangers.

It did not work well, because Yuzu's double is right on her tail, taunting her with her own voice.

“You are weak. You are a coward. All you do is drag everyone down.”

Yuzu knows that. But it's not time to stop running. She isn't ready to die just yet.

“You are nothing in Kazuya's eyes. He only entertains you out of pity. You are pathetic.”

As if. It doesn't work if he just sacrificed himself to save her ass. She doesn't need Pixie to remind her that, she knows from the experience from Lockdown.

“You must depend on others to live. You are a parasite.”

No. That's called being a social animal. Which human is. Gosh why does her doppelganger has to be such a brain-dead idiot.

“You are such a load. Other must stop in their track to help you. You are an embarrassment.”

Well Pixie is flying right in front of her, not stopping at all. Can't her double at get the facts right? Goodness, if she tried these tricks before the Lockdown, or on the first seven days of the Lockdown, Yuzu might fall for them. But now is just not the timing.

Furious, Yuzu swears in words way too hardcore to be written down in a PG rated fanfiction.

 

* * *

  
“Naoya?” Atsuro murmurs in surprise. He is lying in his mentor's arms, safely wrapped in familiar haori. It's warm. He feels safe. Like a child in parent's arms. Oh, the things Atsuro would gladly give up for this moment to last-

Naoya dumps him unceremoniously on the ground.

“Good to see you up, Atsuro.” Naoya's grin is as uncanny as always.

Amane and Izuna land next to them.

“He escaped.” Izuna reports.

“The imposter Kihara escaped.” Amane confirms.

Naoya nods, his smile knowing. “Do not worry. After all, only Atsuro here can bring the end to his own shadow.”

“Shadow?” Atsuro frowns.

“Fear. Desires. Denied traits of self. Subconscious thoughts. The shadow in one's mind.”

“How did it manifest, Cain?” Amane inquires.

“It's Atsuro's shadow, why are you asking me?” He chuckles. “But yes, the shadow we have seen was born from the rumours of Atsuro being a terrorist.”

The gazes concentrate on Naoya.

“Don't give me that look. Yes, rumours are the catalyst. The mind of the shadow is from what I have mentioned, from the abyss of Atsuro's mind. What have let it materialize outside his little skull, however...”

Naoya takes Atsuro's COMP. He checks the demons. Frowns, then smiles.

“As expected, Nyarlathotep is gone. I knew he would not just sit there being someone's servant left to gather dust, especially with god gone.”

Amane is puzzled. “So, the demon of darkness left? Back to hell?”

Naoya laughs. “Hell? That's not where he is from. He's from the abyss of our mind. That is where his home is. Well, welcome back, Nyarla. We did not miss you.”

Amane gasps. “'So long as the Lord does not live in you, all living beings hold darkness in their hearts...'”

“So that's what the angels warned us before leaving...” Izuna clenches her teeth. One tyrant gone, only exchanged for a worse one. “Now, without their protection, we are at the mercy of our own darkness...”

“Now what? Shadows of everyone pop out, kill their original and take over the world?” Atsuro rants, voice squeezed sharp like a little girl's.

“Not if we stop them first.” Naoya hands Atsuro's COMP back with a smile.

“Are we going to invite god back?” Atsuro asks, clutching the COMP like a talisman.

“But god's word is truth and never changes...” Amane mumbles to herself, though loud enough to be heard.

“Exactly. God is not coming back. We are going to make a new ruler of the worlds.” Naoya claps his hands together. “Ready to help me make Kazuya King of Bel?”


	2. Chapter 2

Midori has not given up yet.

"What a useless little girl! You are immature and selfish, and nothing but trouble! Keisuke became a murderer because of you. Your father died because of you. More will die trying to save you, yet you can't even save one!"

"Yeah, yeah," Midori says, more to herself than to her clone, "you are a typical 'fight your self' stage enemy. Seen that in anime and video games. That means I'm actually a hero protagonist! You are going down, evil clone! Magical Punishment!"

Midori sends out a wave of fire, washing over her clone. It comes out barely hurt. There is something metallic about the texture of her clone's skin for a moment, then it is her perfect copy again.

"Protagonist, huh? You really think you are a protagonist? There are billions of people on earth, and you are the protagonist? You are nothing but a background character. In a video game, you would be the party member people either bench or try to kill."

"Who isn't a protagonist? All billions of them, they are all protagonist of their own story! But you can be either a hero or a villain, and I'm a hero! Magical Midori Cooldown Hug!"

It was like hugging a mass of mercury at first, then the clone was gone. There was only Midori, in full.

"And that's how I tamed my clone! That's how it always goes in manga and stuff, right?" Midori says with a toothy grin. "In Brave Story, Wataru accepted his shadow, but Mitsuru stabbed through his and got stabbed back. I figured it would be the same situation. And I was right! Isn't that awesome?"

Naoya scanned Midori. The Persona has not manifested yet.

Philemon has not emerged, then.

"So... are we getting Kazuya and Yuzu and Keisuke?" Midori suggests, looking at the city filled to the brim with people fighting their doubles. "I think we should help those people first..."

\---

Kazuya is having trouble. 

"You lust after your cousin, and lust is all that you feel. You do not care for him, not for his person. If you did, you would have visited him more often, brought good food to him. Yet you'd only be his burden. You fantasizes that he would go down on you in time of trouble and thus relax you, and you want him your slave."

"..."

"What? Nothing to say? Not even a single word in defense? You have only survived so far thanks to your friends and demons. You are fragile. If you had guided them rather than give in to that girl's cries, the world would not be in such chaos. Are you even a man? Spineless coward."

"..." Kazuya listened. If he is good at anything, it is at listening. So far, the shadow has talked a lot, but only what he already knows. The Yuzu clone already vanished, but this one stays, vocalizing endlessly his doubts and fears. "...are you a demon?"

The shadow grins. "I am you. I am your shadow, that is cast when light shines on you. I am part of Nyarlathotep, the crawling shadows, the buried subconscious. But I am, before all, you. You are me and I am you. We are one of the same."

Kazuya shivers. "Sounds nice enough. But if you are me, why are you here wasting time muttering what I already know to me? We could have went and saved Naoya and double-team on him. We can probably find his shadow and live out our wildest fantasy with that. Sounds good?"

The shadow froze. "...You. Is there even a bit of His light in you?"

"Not at all. You should know that, right?"

"Shadow exists in opposition to light... If I am here, there must be light. Yet the way you behave... you must be great at ignoring the light."

"Naoya has always said that I'm good at playing dumb. Consider that a talent. Now, let's find Naoya's shadow and indulge ourselves."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry for starting a fic without finishing the others, but a promise is a promise. I said I would work on this one after working on the chawanmushi.


End file.
